The Power of the Sith
by Pengping
Summary: The Jedi have been busy fighting off the Separatists and their Sith leader Count Dooku. Savage and Ventress have both left the war, making things that much easier for the Republic. All they have to do now is defeat Grievous and the war is won - or so they think. Unfortunately, there is a new Sith in the battlefield, and she is unlike any they have met before.
1. Hostage

This story takes place in the _Star Wars: Clone Wars_ animated series. It happens right after Season 3 Episode: _Witches of the Mist_. Ventress and Savage Oppress have both left Dooku and the Sith. References are made to the Season 2 Episode: _Children of the Force_ and the Gungan child Roo Roo Page that Bane tries to take.

* * *

"There is nothing more deceptive than an obvious fact" ― Arthur Conan Doyle

* * *

 _A child, kidnapped. The Jedi Council recently found that Roo Roo Page, a Gungan child destined to be a Jedi that was once nearly kidnapped by Cad Bane, has gone missing. A mission to Naboo reveals that Page was taken and her mother killed by an assailant with a red lightsaber._

 _The Jedi suspect the involvement of notorious assassin Asajj Ventress, recently betrayed by Dooku. Has Ventress reunited with her former master? Is Savage Oppress behind this attack? Or is there a new Sith that the Jedi do not know about?_

 _Meanwhile, Jedi Knights Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi struggle to secure the planet Christophsis from Separatists invaders. During their struggles, they discover a new ally, but who is she an ally of?_

* * *

The whoosh of a lightsaber as it spun in the air deflecting blaster shots, seeing droids fall, this was the glory of battle for Anakin Skywalker. He would never understand the Jedi like Obi-Wan that stayed in the command post . He glanced away from his battle to where Ashoka was fighting with her two lightsabers, but she was holding her own just fine.

Finally, the droids gave up and they pulled back. Anakin kept his lightsaber active a few seconds longer after the droids vanished just to make sure they were really gone. Then he deactivated it and put it on his belt.

"Didn't we already defeat the droids in this sector once already?" Ashoka asked as she to deactivated her lightsabers.

"Yes," Anakin replied.

Ashoka looked at the fallen droids with worry.

"Rex," Anakin ordered, "keep the defenses strong. They'll be back, again."

"Yes sir," Rex told him.

Ashoka followed her master back to the command station where Obi-Wan was supposed to be inspecting the battlefield. He was speaking with Mace Windu via hologram.

"I'm afraid we're tied up at the moment," Obi-Wan was just saying.

"It wouldn't matter if you were not. There have not been any leads on her," Windu said.

Obi-Wan nodded and Windu's image dissipated as he closed the communicator.

"What's up?" Anakin asked, "Oh, you missed quite the fight by the way."

"I'm sure you'll tell me all about it," Obi-Wan replied. "As to your question, it seems that the Gungan girl Bane tried to steal was just kidnapped."

"Kidnapped?" Ashoka replied in surprise. She remembered the cute little girl she had helped save form Bane. "Is it Bane again?"

"No," Obi-Wan said, "we're sure of that much. The assailant had a red lightsaber and used the Force. Judging from the person's silhouette, they were too small to be Savage, but he's not the only rogue Sith."

"Ventress?" Ashoka frowned. "I thought she left Dooku."

"She did," Obi-Wan agreed.

"So now Dooku's talked back and got her stealing children?" Anakin demanded, his good mood spoiled.

"We don't know for certain it was Ventress," Obi-Wan cautioned. "The message is being sent to all the Jedi on the field so we can keep watch for anything to do with her. Page is hidden in the shadows of the dark side, but wherever she is it isn't Naboo. I doubt the child would show up here on Christophsis."

"There are Separatists here," Anakin pointed out.

"Master," Ashoka asked quietly, "I'm afraid I don't understand. Wasn't Page taken back to the temple with the Rodian and Nautolean that Bane took?"

"The experience was considered too traumatic for Wee Dun and Zinn Toa, and they were taken back to the temple," Obi-Wan agreed. "But it was decided that Page would be fine and that she could remain with her mother until she reached the normal age that we separate her."

"A foolish decision," Anakin promised.

"In retrospect," Obi-Wan agreed.

"How long ago was Page taken?" Ashoka asked, interrupting the two before another argument could appear.

"Two days," Obi-Wan told her, "why?"

"If Ventress _did_ take her, then wouldn't she likely still have her?" Ashoka asked, "So, if we find Ventress, we find Page."

"That is a bit of a stretch," Obi-Wan admitted, "but possible. We're assuming that it was Ventress."

"How many other rogue Sith are there?" Anakin challenged.

"Just Savage and Ventress," Obi-Wan agreed, " _that we know of_. We may be dealing with a new opponent. The assailant was reported to only have _one_ red lightsaber, Ventress has two and Savage's is double-bladed."

"So Ventress didn't use both of her blades," Anakin shrugged. "So what?"

Obi-Wan sighed. "Pertaining to more pressing needs, I think the droids are going to try and come from the South now."

Anakain thought about it and shook his head, "doubtful, maybe the west."

"We'll need to send out scouts," Obi-Wan pushed, "I'd rather they go to the right direction."

"Could I go with the scouts?" Ashoka asked suddenly.

Both Knights glanced her way.

"I don't want to just stay here," Ashoka said, "besides, there may be droids but there aren't any Sith here. I can handle droids."

Anakin thought for a moment again, "talk to Rex, and follow his orders. He's got more experience then you."

"Yes master," Ashoka brightened. She took her leave when Anakin nodded dismissal.

"She's as impatient as you," Obi-Wan noted once the Padawan was out of hearing range.

"it's a gift," Anakin shrugged with a smirk as he looekd at the hologram.

"Oh I'm sure of it,"Obi-Wan replied levelly.

* * *

Ashoka was glad to walk around. It was in dangerous territory with a few Clone scouts and she had her senses tuned for droids, but she was still glad. She was thinking about Page. It hadn't been easy to capture Bane, and she went through all that hassle, and the girl was still gone in the end.

Rex held up a hand to stop and Ashoka instantly did so. She gripped her main lightsaber, finger on the activator switch. A second later, her senses told her that droids were approaching. Their heavy metallic footsteps were loud.

Ashoka scolded herself for not noticing before. She needed to focus on scouting, not on her thoughts about Page. The group spread out and took cover with Ashoka in the front. One of the clones sent ahead of the group reported back, signaling that it was a small group with a hostage.

Instantly, Ashoka thought about Page and just as instantly she shrugged that off. She cast out her senses and peered at the approaching droids.

The hostage was a human, only a little older than Ashoka herself. She was unconscious, suspended off the ground in the hands of two B-2 Super Battle Droids. A handful of B-1 Droids were walking around the B-2's.

"Well, Commander?" Rex asked her.

"We should rescue the hostage," Ashoka prompted. Page was lost, but this hostage she could save.

"Affirmative," Rex acknowledged. He used a few more hand signs to tell the troops to be ready for an attack. They'd attack on Ashoka's cue.

Ashoka held her lightsabers as the droids drew closer. When she deemed them close enough she jumped out from her hiding place and activated her lightsabers with twin snap-hisses. The clones raised their rifles and started firing to cover her as she ran at the droids.

In one smooth move Ashoka sliced one droid apart and deflected the shot of another back to offline the shooter. Her clones took care of the other B-1's as she deflected a few shots from the B-2's and killed one and then the other. She used the Force to catch the girl and slowly lower her to the ground.

The Clones spread out to make sure that there were no more droids. Jesse, the medic clone with them, knelt by the human's side.

Ashoka felt a prickling as if she was being watched and she looked up. There was no one on the horizon, but she couldn't shake the feeling. Giving up on her eyes, Ashoka closed them and reached out with the Force. She detected nothing. Nonetheless, she was sure they were being watched. Jesse's voice drew her out of the Force.

"No serious injuries, but she should still get medical attention," Jesse told Ashoka.

Ashoka reluctantly stopped her search. "Rex, let's head back. We've been out here for an hour already."

Rex knew better then to disobey a Commander's order. "Waxer, Boil, keep scouting and report back if you see more droids."

The two Clones gave yes sirs and continued on. Rex holstered his blaster and helped Jesse pick up the girl. They began to carry her back to camp, but didn't get too far before Ashoka sensed she was waking up.

"Put her down," she told Rex, "she's coming to."

Again the Clones obeyed her and gently laid her down on the ground. A few seconds later, the girl's eyes fluttered open.

The girl turned her head first to the right and then to the left were Ashoka was sitting. Behind the Togruta were the two clones. She jerked back and sat up quickly. The action was too sharp and made her head spin. Muttering, the girl shook her head but that only seemed to make it worse.

"Just relax," Jesse promised her, "you're safe now."

That didn't seem to sooth the girl. She looked at Ashoka's lightsabers and then up to Ashoka. "Who are you?"

"My name is Ashoka Tano," Ashoka introduced, "Jedi Padawan. These are Captain Rex and Jesse. We're from the Republic."

"Serra," the girl introduced. "What happened to the droids?"

"Scrap metal," Rex promised her.

Serra seemed thoughtful at that. "What about the bad Jedi, I don't know what you'd call her. She had two lightsabers like you only hers weren't blue."

Ashoka paused, "That's a Sith and we call her Ventress. Did you see her?"

Serra nodded, but winced at the action when it made her head throb. "She was with the other droids. They were taking me back to their base."

Ashoka was surprised. Ventress _is_ working with Dooku again. If that's the case then I bet she does have Page.

"Why take you for a hostage? Why not just kill you?" Rex asked.

Serra looked down. She clearly didn't want to answer.

Ashoka decided to let it slide for now. "Can you walk? We're on our way back to the command center. My master is there. You can talk to him."

"A Jedi master?" Serra whispered with wide eyes.

"He's just a Knight," Ashoka promised. She stood and held out a hand to Serra. After looking at it for a moment, Serra took it.

* * *

In the distance, the crosshairs of a scope on a sniper rifle focused on Ashoka. The sniper tuned the scope a little more so the crosshairs were between Ashoka's eyes. Her finger was on the trigger. A little known fact was that despite the Jedi's senses, most would not be able to sense the first shot of a sniper until it was too late. The second shot yes, they could judge and deflect, but not the first.

The sniper could also sense that this Jedi was just a half-trained Padawan. It would be easy to kill the little one. A good shot was all that was needed.

She changed her target to that of Serra, and saw the girl walking along with the Jedi and clones. Good, the sniper thought as she lowered the scope from her eye and relaxed her grip on the rifle. As the Jedi walked away, she stood, clicked the safety on the rifle, and slung it over her shoulders.

This was working well so far. Let's hope the Jedi are as gullible as we think they are. If they are, then there will soon be a new set of _Jedai_ lightsabers to add to the collection.

* * *

 **Hello to all readers! I know my stories up until now have been with Thor and Loki, but i do have other stories including a Star Wars arc. My awesome friends and fellow geeks - Lauren and Heather - have successfully talked me into posting the Star Wars one.**

 **These stories are more straightforward then my Loki ones, simply one after the next in one series. They take place during the Clone Wars, but will continue to the Third Movie: Revenge of the Sith, Order 66, and the Star Wars: Rebels series. Right now, it's Clone Wars.**


	2. Information

Anakin frowned as he stood outside and looked at the human that came walking up with the scouting party. Jesse take her to the medical tent. "Ashoka," he started when his Padawan came over to him.

"Some droids had her, I couldn't just leave her with them," Ashoka defended. She had defended a little too quickly and looked down.

Anakin didn't respond right away, "Obi-Wan's scouts picked up droids."

"So they are coming from the south then," Ashoka couldn't help but point out.

Anakin eyed her, "Go tend to your patient, see if she knows anything."

"She says she saw Ventress here, does that count?" Ashoka asked.

"Ventress? With Dooku?" Anakin narrowed his eyes. "Yes, see what else she knows."

Ashoka didn't want to be a babysitter, but it seemed she had no choice. "Yes master," she replied and walked over to the medical facility. One of the Republic's medical droids was tending to the injury to Serra's head.

Serra seemed edgy. She glanced up at Ashoka and relaxed slightly; glad to see a familiar face.

"Feeling better?" Ashoka asked.

"Yes," Serra promised in her gentle voice. "Thank you for helping me with those droids. I'm a good shot with a blaster but not good enough apparently."

"Don't worry," Ashoka promised, "I've been captured before to."

"A Jedi Knight like you, "Serra challenged in disbelief.

"I am just a Padawan learner," Ashoka corrected. "Ah, why did the droids take you hostage? Why not just…"

"Kill me?" Serra finished. "I don't know. Maybe the Ventress just wanted a hostage. That is her name, isn't it?"

"You got it," Ashoka promised. "You said you saw the droids' base."

"You want information," Serra said pointedly. "I do owe you that. Truthfully, I was looking for my father."

"Your father?" Ashoka asked. She sat on the bed next to Serra.

Serra nodded solemnly. "He disappeared in the first battles of the war, the droids, they… I, I haven't seen him since. He's a good warrior and a strong tactical mind. I thought he might be there, in the droids custody. I didn't find him, but I did see the one you called Ventress ordering the droids around. She sensed my presence and I had to beat a hasty retreat."

"How did you get so close to the base?" Ashoka finally started asking the correct questions.

"There are tunnels underground. I have them memorized," Serra promised. "Most are mined or collapsed, but I managed to get close through them. When I was finally forced to come above ground I stayed quiet. My father taught me how to sneak around as if I was scouting. Where my skills failed, my blaster didn't. It had a silencer. You want me to show you the tunnels, right?"

"That would help," Ashoka promised.

"I'll do what I can," Serra vowed. "I was able to breach the base's security, but I couldn't search it before I was noticed. They have a loud alarm."

Ashoka was impressed that Serra had managed to breach the base on her own. Whoever her father is must have taught her well. "Jesse, is she alright?"

"She'll be fine," Jesse promised, "just needs rest."

"I'll get some after I help the Jedi," Serra promised him.

Jesse nodded and Serra hopped off the bed. Ashoka led her out of the medical center.

"So," Ashoka couldn't resist asking, "is Christophsis your home?"

"No, I was just here visiting with my father when the droids first appeared. We were separated in the battle that followed," Serra looked down.

"What's it like to have a father?" Ashoka asked suddenly, surprising herself.

"What?" Serra smiled, "don't you have one?"

"No," Ashoka admitted. "Jedi are raised in temples. We're not encouraged to have contact with our family. If we do we would form attachments. That's dangerous for Jedi. Attachments lead to emotions and anger if something happens to them. We might fall to the Dark side of the Force and become like Ventress."

"What's so bad about that?" Serra asked honestly. "Isn't that just another type of the force?"

"The Dark Side isn't good," Ashoka whispered, "I've felt it before and I don't like it." Ashoka could tell Serra still didn't understand what was so bad about it, but there was no way for Ashoka to explain it. Her master could probably tell her. "Here's the command center," Ashoka introduced.

Two Jedi were standing near a control panel, looking at a hologram. "This is General Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi. Masters, this is Serra. She managed to infiltrate the droid base."

Serra looked at the two. She looked edgy again and gave a small, stiff bow.

Obi-Wan's senses told him there was something odd about this girl. She was human with short silver-blonde hair and bright blue eyes. Her clothes were tight-fitting, obviously meant for wear and tear. There was an empty blaster holster on her right side and an empty dagger sheathe on her left. On her left wrist was a silver bracelet. Despite being a civilian, she held herself as confidently as any Jedi Master.

Since Obi-Wan couldn't figure out what about this girl was so odd, he decided to set it aside for the moment. "Welcome," he greeted Serra.

Serra gave a little nod. She seemed scared.

"Don't worry," Obi-Wan promised, "you have nothing to fear from us."

"I've seen Jedi before, but I've never been so close to one," Serra told him. She lowered her head and looked about the room. "Now there are three."

"Perhaps you could pretend we're just officers and give us your information like you would to them," Anakin offered.

"What makes you think I'm more comfortable around officers?" Serra asked in surprise.

"The way you hold yourself reminds me of our Admirals," Anakin pointed out. "And if you managed to infiltrate a droid base we can't even find _with_ Ventress there then you must have training."

"Very observant," Serra admitted. She stepped over to the table. "Bring up a map of the tunnels, I'll try and trace the route I took."

* * *

The debrief lasted well over an hour as Serra outlined not only her path taken, but the defenses and troops that she had seen. She even had a rough schematic of the inside of the droid's base. Serra had mentioned that they may have found the tunnels and collapsed them. They might also have moved their base.

Both possibilities were true but the chance was too good to pass up. The Jedi allowed her to stay as they outlined their plan of attack. Serra critiqued them on a few points, impressing both Knights with her tactical skills. She brushed any praise off.

"It might be better to send a small scouting party before the attack, just to make sure that the droids are still there," Serra offered. "I could go, I know my way around."

"You've done plenty," Anakin told her in a slightly dismissive manner.

"Yes she has," Obi-Wan reminded Anakin pointedly.

Anakin slipped him a glare. He wasn't trying to be rude to Serra. "It might be better that a civilian not get tangled up in this. If there is a Sith then she'll be hard enough to take care of without…"

"Protecting me?" Serra offered, "I understand." She had to be careful here as she wove the Force into her voice. Too much and the Jedi would sense it. Too little and it wouldn't work. "But there will be more then Sith at the base, won't there? Perhaps one of you Jedi could accompany the patrol and handle any Sith while the clones and I deal the droids. There would be clones, right?"

"Yes," Obi-Wan said.

Of course, Serra thought. Oh well, more targets for me. If the Jedi's minds were set on clones – as they were – then she wasn't going to risk trying to convince them not to send any.

Obi-Wan thought out Serra's plan. Her skills had to be impressive if she was able to infiltrate the base on her own. There was little reason why she couldn't come. "I will consider your request. Ashoka, take her to the mess hall. I'm sure you're hungry," he addressed Serra now.

Serra nodded and gave a small smile, "yeah." She had been dismissed. There was no way to continue the conversation without rousing the Jedi's curiosity. She'd just have to hope that she had done enough.

The gathered clones at the mess hall there treated Ashoka with respect and greeted Serra as well.

When the two of them sat down to eat, Serra noticed the clones were still trying to sneak glances at her. "Ashoka, why do the clones keep looking at me?"

Ashoka smiled, "word's passed that you managed to infiltrate the droid's base, get a schematic, and get out while dealing with a Sith all by yourself. They're trying to decide if the story's accurate or not."

"I don't look like much of a threat," Serra warned, "but I'm not one to exaggerate my reports."

Master's right, Ashoka decided. There was a definite military vibe coming from Serra.

After a few minutes of eating, Serra sighed and set down her silverware. "This is tiring. Your master won't mind if I show the clones I can fight, will he?" She stood before Ashoka could answer and looked over at one the clones. "Stop staring at me and come over here," she ordered him.

It went quiet in the mess as the clone she was addressing stood. He had almost two feet and over fifty pounds on her. Serra didn't look fazed. "Do you clones believe my report or do think I exaggerated it?"

"With respect," the clone said, "you're no Jedi and you don't look like a warrior."

Serra seemed genuinely amused by his answer. "No," she agreed, "I'm no Jedi."

"If the information is good then that's what's important but I could see why you might want to tweak your report. Make it look more impressive for the Generals so they'll listen to you when you're trying to help."

"Appearances can be deceiving," Serra warned. "And unlike clones, I don't need to 'tweak' my report."

The clone noticed the insult. "We clones aren't liars."

"Neither am I," Serra replied.

"So you faced off against a Sith with no lightsaber of your own and managed to walk away?" The clone asked with a small smile.

"I never said I faced Ventress,"Serra replied with thinning patience, "Just some droids."

"An entire droid army," the Clone pushed.

"Jake," one of the other clones warned him.

Jake didn't take the hint.

"You clones might have been bred to be the perfect soldier but you're far from hard to defeat," Serra taunted.

That got the attention of Jake and the rest of the clones.

"I'm going to attack you," Serra warned.

Jake's features turned blank in confusion and Serra attacked him. Her first hit landed and the clone stumbled. He recovered with expected speed and tried to swing at her. Impossibly, Serra ducked the blow and sidestepped. Using Jake's extended arm, she boosted herself up and kicked him across the face. The clone crashed into a table and fell to the ground.

Serra was in a fighting stance. She relaxed and stood straight, one hand on her hip. "I even warned you," she taunted.

There was a nasty looking bruise on Jake's cheek, but he wasn't seriously injured.

"If you clones don't believe me, then that is your problem," Serra addressed the gathered clones. "But I'm no weakling and no liar." She walked back over to Ashoka, took her food tray and stalked out.

Ashoka watched her leave. I'm glad she's not a Jedi. She'd be even worse than my master when it comes to emotional control.

Obi-Wan was just walking by the mess when Serra stalked out. "Serra," he greeted.

The girl whipped around and looked like she might shoot him. The anger faded when she saw it was Obi-Wan, replaced by something darker. Obi-Wan did not notice in the fading sunlight. "General Kenobi," she dipped her head, but couldn't bow with her tray.

"I discussed your suggestion over," Obi-Wan told her. "It looks good. You can accompany a patrol to scout out the base tomorrow."

"Is there going to be a Jedi to help fight the Sith? "Serra asked.

If Ventress was here, then Anakin didn't want Ashoka to face her. She didn't have enough training yet to take on the assassin. That left himself and Anakin. Kenobi knew how hot-headed Anakin could be and it might be a good idea to keep him with his Padawan. "I will."

Serra smiled. There was something victorious about it but it was there and gone leaving Obi-Wan to wonder if he had even seen it. "I feel far safer in your presence Master Jedi."

Obi- Wan gave a wary nod.

"Do I have permission to raid your supplies and rearm myself?" Serra asked, waving a hand at the empty holsters she wore.

"Of course," Obi-Wan said. "Come speak to me tomorrow. We could all use a good night's rest."

Serra took her dismissal and smiled. She'd find a place to finish eating and then get some Republic weapons. Then, they would scout and the real fun would begin. First though, she could tell that she needed to distract Obi-Wan. He was noticing that she was different. I can't have him suspect anything, not until I get him to the droid base.

There was little she could do tonight. Tomorrow, she'd work on Obi-Wan some more.


	3. Secret One

Obi-Wan looked up from his holoscreen when someone knocked. He sensed it was Serra, "enter."

Serra did so. "You said you wished to speak with me Jedi?"

"Yes," Obi Wan nodded. "The strike that's been planned is due to happen tonight, I wanted to speak to you about the tunnels."

"No you don't," Serra countered instantly. She wished she hadn't jumped on that as she had, she wasn't supposed to be able to read emotions so easily.

Obi-Wan was surprised by the quickness and the surety of her answer. It was also correct. "Very well then, I won't waste time. Is it custom for you to fight those who don't agree with you?"

"You mean with the clone," Serra sighed. "It's not. Everyone's entitled to their own opinion. I just don't like being called a fake." She had a hand on her hip, only a few inches from the blaster she had gotten from clone supplies. It had a silencer.

The response was fair enough to Obi-Wan. Something about Serra still bothered him. For some reason, he wasn't sure he wanted her to have a blaster. What bothered him even more was that he wasn't sure _why_ he didn't trust her.

Her personality had changed dramatically overnight as she had adapted to the Jedi. That in itself, Obi-Wan was used to. Jedi had quite a reputation. Is my unsureness solely because she fought with one of the clones? This Serra is certainly not the Satine of Mandalore, but just because she likes fighting… what kind of a reason was that to mistrust someone?

"Why did you wish to accompany us on the scouting trip planed later?" Obi-Wan asked Serra.

"You might get lost in the tunnels," Serra replied easily.

"I memorized the map," Obi-Wan countered.

"You still might get lost," Serra replied, "and then the Republic will be cross with me for sending you down here in the first place."

That was logical, but still not a real answer. "You already searched this base once, why do want to return so strongly?"

Serra rolled her eyes, "you Jedi really are persistent. Your reputation doesn't do you justice." She stopped walking and turned to face him. "I think my father's in the base."

"What makes you think he's even still onworld," Obi-Wan asked.

"He might not be, but I'm working on the assumption that he is. I don't stand much of a chance of finding him if he's not," Serra looked down at her boots, emotions too guarded to let Obi-Wan read them as she wove the Force in with her voice. "I've been tracking the droids attacks and counterstrikes. From what I can tell, it looks like the strategies my father taught me as a girl."

"How long have you been aware of the Jedi's plight here?"

"Since the war started," Serra dismissed. "I was content to stay out of your way and let you fight your war. It keeps the droids busy enough that they wouldn't notice me."

"Don't you care about all of the troops that have been dying down here?" Obi-Wan asked.

Serra was going to have to measure her response very carefully. The Jedi's way of thinking and concepts of the importance of life were very different from her own. "Lives are lives and it is sad that any have to be lost. I am however, not a part of this war. I just want to see my father again."

"What if your father is not being coerced to help the Separatists? What if he is willing?"

" _If_ that is the case," Serra emphasized the if, "then that changes things."

She and Obi-Wan apprised each other. Obi-Wan was worried. I can't read her emotions. Why not? How is she blocking me? What am I missing? "You are certain you say Ventress there?"

"I saw someone matching her description," Serra nodded. _The Jedi love to feel superior_ , Serra reminded herself, remembering her lessons her mother had taught her. _They consider it their duty to educate the ignorant masses. If you ask them a question they can't help but answer it._ "Ventress is a Sith right? She uses the dark side of the force. Ashoka mentioned it earlier, but is it really that bad?"

"The Dark Side is the essence of hate and fear. It is a weapon meant to kill and cause pain, nothing more, and the Sith embody it," Obi-Wan started into a lecture just as Serra knew he would. "The Sith like to initiate wars, like this current Clone War. Conflict to them is a way to elevate the strong and to weed out the weak. Anyone not strong enough is killed." There was distaste in his voice. "They consider love a dangerous emotion not because of the attachment it brings, but because it might make them act mercifully."

"They're your opposite," Serra observed. She crossed her arms casually behind her back and let her fingers trail on her bracelet. "They are the shadow and you the light."

"Yes," Obi-Wan said, "very observant."

Serra had managed to divert Obi-Wan from the topic of herself, but she wasn't quite safe yet. She double tapped on her bracelet and activated the signal beacon. "I think I understand. May I go?"

Obi-Wan nodded. Serra dipped her head and left.

* * *

3o minutes later, alarms started blaring. The droids were attacking.

* * *

Chaos ensued as the clones armed up and the Jedi ran out to the front lines. Serra was right on Ashoka's heels as they delved into battle.

Ashoka deflected a few laser shots, destroying the droids that had shot them. Her master was doing the same thing but Obi-Wan was holding back, waiting for Ventress to show herself. So far there was no sign of her.

Standing in front of the clones and behind the Jedi's blades was Serra. The girl was coolly and calmly shooting her blaster. A droid fell dead with every shot. Serra stepped side to side as she shot, neatly dodging every shot the droids fired her way that the Jedi did not deflect. Ashoka was impressed. She was as good as a Jedi.

Then they were through the B-1 droids and one of the droid tanks raised its massive cannon and shot. Cannon shells started to rain down on the clones. "Ashoka, take out the cannons," Anakin shouted at her as he broke away from the clones to engage them as well.

"On it Master!" Ashoka called, deflecting a shot with her smaller shoto and another with her main lightsaber. She glanced back at Serra and she nodded at her to go. Ashoka went, slicing up droids with both of her lightsabers.

The cannons continued to shoot. Ashoka plunged her lightsaber into one about to shoot, destroying it. It collapsed to the ground and the shot went high. Instead of targeting the troops it hit one of the giant hexagonal buildings and sent cracks spiraling up it and tore a chunk out of its one remaining support beams.

Serra dodged underneath it to avoid a droideka as it unrolled, raised its shields, and started shooting. She could deal with it a number of ways but all of them required using her powers. If she did that, then that could wreck everything. Unsure how to handle it she ducked into the damaged building.

Ashoka saved the day, naïve little Ashoka. She ran at it and swiped her lightsaber across its shield. The droideka found the young Jedi a far more tantalizing target and, with Serra out of sight, turned to Ashoka and started shooting. For a few seconds, Ashoka deflected its shots. Then she took off running.

With what you might suppose was a mechanical huff, the droideka rolled up, collapsed its shields, and chased after the young Jedi. Ashoka enjoyed herself for a moment and then used the Force to come to a screeching halt and jump backwards, lightsaber out. The green blade cut the droideka neatly in half.

That was easy. Ashoka glanced back and grinned at Serra. Serra saluted the Padawan with her blaster. One of the droids in the tanks noticed Ashoka's lightsabers. "Ooo, Jedi!" He hit the targeting controls and tapped the button to shoot.

Serra sensed the shot coming and she hit the ground as the shot fired. The shot hit what was left of the support pillar. The concussion from the shot threw Ashoka back. She hit the ground hard, her lightsabers skittering away from her. The sun seemed painfully bright as Ashoka tried to get her breath back. Wincing, she rolled over onto her side and braced herself up on one arm, waiting for the battlefield to stop spinning.

There was an awful groaning sound from the remaining support pillar groaned as it gave way under the building's weight. Serra to, had been knocked back further into the building. She held a hand to her head. "Stupid droid," she growled, "I'm going to have him dismantled for that one."

The Force hissed a warning and Serra slowly looked up as the pieces of the upper floor started to fall. You enter the battlefield, you risk your life. That's how it is. Serra had said she was strong enough. I am strong enough. She double-tapped her bracelet so the droids would leave and stood.

She didn't know and didn't care what had happened to her blaster. Serra took a deep breath and allowed the Force to flow through her, just as her mother had taught her.

She jumped into the air, landed on one of the fallen debris pieces and jumped to another. Serra ran a step sideways on the wall and flipped, landing neatly on her feet on some of the wall. Taking a breath, she jumped clear of the building going almost thirty feet into the air.

Ashoka stared as Serra twisted in midair and landed neatly as if she had merely jumped a few feet. She looked mad. Without even bothering with a blaster she drew her electroknife and pounced on one of the nearby B-1 droids, tearing its head off with the force. Then she ducked a shot from another, sliced its weapon free and gouged a hit into the droid's chest as she plucked up his fallen rifle. She raised it and opened fire on the B-1's.

A shot from a droid almost clipped Ashoka's cheek, forcing her to look away from Serra and back to focus on the battle.

"The droids are pulling out!" Rex called loudly.

Any droids that didn't retreat fast enough were quickly executed. Serra was actually ahead of the Jedi and she looked at the retreating droids with disgust. She had summoned the droids to help her maintain her cover, but thanks to them the _Jedai_ would now know that she was Force-Sensitive. Well, the best laid plans oft go astray. I need to adapt to the situation – use it to my advantage, before the Jedi find me out.

Anakin deactivated his lightsaber and glanced over at Serra. That little liar. She's a Force user! Serra, as if sensing the anger in his mind, glanced his way. She was still holding the droid rifle. Her eyes were dark and wary. He approached her slowly in what he hoped was a non-threatening manner.

It evidently wasn't because she raised the rifle at him. "Stay away, Jedi," she warned.

Ashoka called her lightsabers back to her hands and clipped them onto her side, never averting her eyes from Serra. Serra lied to us.

Anakin paused his walking. "It's alright Serra, we want to help you. You're our friend." He reached out with the Force, thinking he might be able to sooth her, but was met with a wall of resistance.

"Stay out of my head," she hissed at him, blaster raised.

Anakin didn't understand how she was able to block him, but wasn't worried about the rifle. Didn't she just see how little use it did against me a few minutes ago?

Serra had come to the same conclusion and shifted the rifle to one hand. She glanced Ashoka's way and snapped out one of her hands. Ashoka's main lightsaber was suddenly unclipped from her belt and flew towards Serra's outstretched hand.

"Hey!" Ashoka made a grab to get it back in vain.

Serra snatched the lightsaber out of the air and thumbed the activator switch. She held the green lightsaber in front of her body in a ready position. "I said stay away Jedi," she repeated as she dropped the rifle.

Anakin instinctively ignited his own lightsaber.

Serra should have been terrified at the prospect of fighting a lightsaber duel with a Jedi Knight but she stood strongly and unflinching. In fact, she smiled at the idea. I don't want to lose my bet, but it seems that droid pushed my hand. Oh well, I can't keep the child, but I can collect a lightsaber.

"Enough!" Obi-Wan's voice echoed across the battlefield. He jumped down fourty feet to land silently on the war-torn ground. "Anakin stop. Child, we mean you no harm."

Serra suddenly saw an oppratunity to salvage the situation. Let's play the role of an innocent. Jedi love protecting the innocent. "You'll take me back to Courasnt away from my father to be trained," Serra growled.

"You're too old," Obi-Wan sighed. "If you were a toddler then yes, as a force-sensitive you would likely be taken to a temple but you are too old to receive formal training. You have nothing to worry about, so give Ashoka back her lightsaber."

Serra hesitated, caught off guard. Mother didn't tell me that. She looked pointedly at Anakin.

"Anakin," Obi-Wan repeated with a motion at the lightsaber.

"She started it," Anakin promised. He deactivated his lightsaber anyway and put it on his belt.

Serra deactivated Ashoka's as well.

Obi-Wan had wondered exactly what about Serra had bothered him so. He had figured it out at last. She was scared of her power being discovered and of being taken away from her quest to find her father. She has been lying to us out of must be one of the few children that the Jedi Council missed on its search for recruits.

"Serra, be at ease," Obi-Wan soothed. "You won't receive any training unless you ask for it. We won't make you do anything. You're our ally and you are still going to help us break into the droid's base, won't you?"

Serra licked her lips and looked down, "I said I would," she muttered. Her heartbeat was smooth and steady, and yet she was nearly buzzing with excitement. The Jedi had played right into her hands again, and now she was once more safe. Even better, she would not have to suppress her abilities with the Force anymore.

"Thank you," Obi-Wan said. "Return to your posts everyone. Those droids will be back."

Well, now Anakin knew why that girl was so hard to read. For not having any training she certainly was skilled and she looked like she knew what she was doing with that lightsaber. He still wondered about her. She's been lying to us all along, is she telling the truth now?

Serra smiled as she heard Anakin's thoughts. He was more wary then Obi-Wan. Anakin caught her smile and felt a chill. He shook it off quickly enough and went back to speaking to Rex about the droids.

Ashoka looked at Serra with a mostly annoyed look. "You didn't have to steal my lightsaber," she told her.

"The best way to fight with a lightsaber is with a lightsaber," Serra shrugged. "I know how to use a vibrosword so I thought I could manage it."

"You do not fight with a vibrosword like you do with a lightsaber," Ashoka promised.

"Probably not," Serra admitted, "It was still worth a shot." She held out her hand and Ashoka took her lightsaber back from her.

Ashoka clipped the lightsaber back on her side.

"So, does the Jedi Temple take all the force-sensitives they can find?" Serra asked curiously.

"Yes," Ashoka agreed. "If we don't claim them the Sith might try to," Ashoka's eyes darkened. "The bounty hunter Cad Bane tried to steal them. He took two and we stopped him from taking a third. The two children he took were reclaimed and brought to the temple. Then the third child was taken just recently."

"The Gungan girl," Serra agreed. "You can't find her though can you?"

"She's hidden in the dark side of the force. Um, how do you know about her?" Ashoka was surprised that Serra would have such knowledge. She hadn't told Serra about it before.

"I heard one of the older Jedi talking. They think that Ventress took her," Serra shrugged it off.

Ashoka accepted the explanation. "She probably did. We thought Ventress wasn't aligned with Dooku anymore but it seems we were wrong."

"Why do you think the one that took the girl is Ventress? "Serra asked, knowing Ashoka would explain.

"Someone caught a glimpse of a person with a red lightsaber taking Page. They were too small to be Savage Oppress and that leaves Ventress. Master Kenobi thinks there may be a new Sith in the playing field that we haven't met yet, but I think it's Ventress."

It had to be Ventress, Ashoka thought. What other Sith are there?

* * *

 **Serra knows what she is doing yet she has a habit of not thinking ahead. That was foolish of her to use the droids, she didn't even think that she might have to try. That's one of her problems.** **Can you guess who the child she mentioned is?**

 **Anakin is the only one that suspects anything's astray, but even he doesn't know how much trouble the Jedi are about to be in.**


	4. A New Apprentice

Obi-Wan walked down the tunnel. He was reassured by the presence of his lightsaber on his waist. Walking a few steps in front of him was Serra lighting the way with a glowstick. Behind him were a group of four clones. The scouting party wound its way deeper into the tunnels on its way to the droid base.

At the next branch Serra took the left passage and Obi-Wan followed. Serra still confused him, but he understood her better now that he knew she was Force-sensitive. That was why she had been so wary around the Jedi. Yet, he couldn't forget how the girl had managed to escape the falling building. Skill of that caliber took training. Only, who had trained her?

After more walking, they reached a dead end. Overhead was a crack in the ceiling. "That's it," Serra waved her blaster at it. "You go up through there and you'll be in sight of the droids base."

"Right," Obi-Wan said. He stepped back and jumped up through the gap. There were no droids in sight. Serra jumped up after him, as graceful as any Force user. Obi-Wan turned back to help the clones up.

"This is odd," Obi-Wan noted after the clones were on stable ground and he turned to look at the building. "It looks abandoned." He glanced at Serra, but her emotions were unreadable. Soundlessly, she started towards the base and Obi Wan followed.

They approached the base unchallenged and walked through its gates. Inside were the ruins of old gear and battle droids, but nothing moved. The group walked in front of a building by an entryway which might have once led to a beautiful mannor. Two staircases rose off of the ground to reach the second floor on either side of the main path.

"it's quiet," one of the clones noted.

"Da-na, da-na," another clone muttered the theme song for an old movie. Just watch, there's going to be a shark around here.

"Would you stop that Jack," another clone snapped at him.

"Just trying to lighten the mood," Jack shrugged.

Obi-Wan ignored the clones although agreed that it was too quiet for his liking. Dust had begun to gather, and the entire building had a feeling of emptiness as if no one had been here for weeks. Despite the apparent emptiness, Obi Wan was sure he felt shadows. His sense of the world around him was muddled as if it were being… masked by something.

"I thought it was possible that they cleared out," Serra's voice broke the silence. "It seems we've missed our opportunity."

"Sir," the lead clone addressed Kenobi. "Should we spread out and search?"

Obi-Wan nodded and the clones slowly spread out. Serra started to as well, but Kenobi spoke up. "It appears these droids have been cleared out for weeks," Obi Wan offered. "Are you sure this is the correct base?"

"Yes, _Jedai_ , I think I can tell that much," Serra slurred the word Jedi much as Ventress, Dooku, or other Separatists might. She reached out with her own senses. Kenobi had walked right into the trap, and now to claim his lightsaber as my prize.

Kenobi had his eyes closed, obviously trying to sense something. That won't work, Serra sang to herself. You _Jedai_ are helpless now. She pooled her power and then leaped up into the air, landing on one of the staircases.

Kenobi sensed her power spike, but it was too little too late for the clones.

Serra raised her right hand and all four of the clones were suddenly dragged into the air by her Force choke. Most would feel the strain of levitating two, but Serra did four with ease. She had surprised them to, they were scared. Their fear fanned her power as she drank it in. It was sweet.

Obi-Wan grabbed his lightsaber and activated it. He had been caught completely off guard by Serra's actions. One thing he could sense through the muddle was the aura of shadows that surrounded Serra and gave her strength – the power of the Dark Side. "Release them!"

The clones struggled to breathe and Jack managed to raise his rifle at her and pull the trigger. Serra wasn't looking his way. The bolt stopped about two feet from her face.

"Feisty, aren't you," Serra addressed Jack. She flicked one of the fingers of her right hand and the bolt shot back towards Jack, solidly connecting with his visor and smashing the faceplate. Jack went limp and Serra dropped him to the ground, keeping a tight grip on the other three.

"Now you're down to three _Jedai_ ," Serra purred. She tightened the fingers of her right hand into a fist and twisted it.

Obi-Wan cringed internally as he heard the snaps. The other three clones stopped struggling and Serra loosened her right hand. They fell to the ground just as Jack had, heads twisted at a bad angle from where their necks had been snapped.

"Now none," Serra drank in the remains of the Clones' fear, using it to strengthen herself. She was going to need it in a moment.

Kenobi looked at the clones and then at her. "You're going to regret that."

"No," Serra countered. "You're going to regret being as stupid as to walk into my trap."

Trap? Obi-Wan threw out his senses instinctively and was met with blurriness, unable to focus.

The targeting lines in a scope narrowed onto him and the sniper pulled the trigger.

With the world so off kilter, Obi-Wan was not able to sense the shot until it had already hit his hand and knocked his lightsaber away.

Serra smiled as she Force-pulled Kenobi's lightsaber to her hand and activated it. "I congratulate you, General Kenobi. My master's tales of your skills were not exaggerated."

Obi-Wan pushed the throbbing in his hand out of his mind. "Who are you?"

"I already told you, _Jedai_ scum. My name is Serra," Serra repeated, "Serra Winters."

She closed her eyes, and when she opened them the blue color was replaced by the crimson and gold of a Sith. "And Ventress isn't here. She's a traitor that's tried to kill Dooku. Even if she did appear, she'd never be welcomed. Besides, I'm Dooku's apprentice now and there are only room for two Sith."

"Winters?" Kenobi suddenly realized why Serra had looked so familiar. "Heather Winters, the Jedi hunter."

"And my mother," Serra smiled. She brushed a lock of her bangs out of her face. "As for your missing child, I didn't take her on Dooku's orders. That was my own initiative."

Her smile sent a strike of cold down Obi-Wan's spine. "You're a Sith. Where is she? Roo Roo Page, where is she?"

"She's safe," Serra promised with a smile. "You should be glad I took her _Jedai_ ," Serra promised him. "I intended to kill her and rid you of a future recruit. She's strong though, so I took her instead. She'll make a fine Sith when she grows up."

Obi-Wan didn't dare move, but he clenched a hand into a fist. He had just lost his lightsaber and there was still the sniper to handle.

"Dooku was not pleased with my… initiative," Serra sighed. "So I made him a wager. If I could lure you here and kill you, then he would admit that I was strong enough to keep her. So far I've done well. Now I just have to kill you." Serra smiled and raised her right hand again. Obi-Wan's blue lightsaber glowed in her other hand.

"How do you intend to do that?" Obi-Wan asked, "With your sniper friend?"

"No, she'll stay out of it," Serra told him. "I'll kill you on my own."

Obi-Wan didn't think for a minute that the second Sith would really stay put and watch. Sith didn't have enough honor for a fair fight.

Then Serra saluted him with his lightsaber and jumped down from the stairs towards the Jedi Master. Obi-Wan's lightsaber sang as she raised it above her head to bring it in a downward stroke.

* * *

 **A little short i suppose, but nice and dramatic. I know you realized that Serra was a bad guy, but did you guess Sith? Nicely done if you did.**

 **Remember Heather Winters. her story is going to have a lot to do with her daughter's.**


	5. Battle

Obi-Wan jumped to one side as his blade gouged a hole in the floor. He rolled and came up in a crouch. There was no sniper shot as he feared but he was forced to jump away as Serra swung his lightsaber again. This was not going to be easy. He ran towards the building, wanting to put the walls between himself and the sniper.

Serra walked after him calmly, a smile fluttering around her lips. She dragged his lightsaber on the ground as she walked, gouging a line in the ground.

The sniper growled as she lost her shot on Kenobi. She looked through her scope, trying to get a line of sight on the _Jedai_ through one of the windows. No luck. There were two things she could do. One, keep around the perimeter and keep searching for a shot. Two, she could shoulder the rifle and reinforce Serra directly inside the building.

Knowing Serra, she would not want the _Jedai_ sniped. She would want to fight him herself. With a sigh, the sniper lowered her rifle.

* * *

Kenobi ducked a blow, neatly sidestepping every one of Serra's swings and jabs. The blows were slow as if she were merely toying with him. He had a sinking feeling that she was. So far, she was only using Form 2, the lightsaber form Dooku used. Was she trying to mislead him into believing that that was all she could do?

He was wary and opened himself up to the Force. Obi-Wan expected a rush of power like being bathed in warm light, but felt instead what seemed like a cold fist to the gut. Caught off guard by the Force's reaction, he staggered and Serra laughed.

She had a pretty laugh oddly, like a peal of musical wind-chime laughter. "Scared _Jedai_? You should be. I think you'll find that you won't be quite as effective as before."

Kenobi looked at her. What had she done?! He looked around desperately for an answer, but the empty room revealed no secrets.

Serra flashed out a hand towards Obi-Wan and threw him back, pinning the Jedi against a wall. Obi-Wan's head spun as it was slammed.

She tightened her grip on him, choking him as she held him there. Serra jumped over to him, covering the tens of meters in a single leap. One hand was kept outstretched to pin him in place.

Kenobi struggled to summon the Force to him to break free to no avail. He tried to breathe but the Force was pressing down on his throat. His eyesight blurred from the lack of oxygen, adding that to the troubles he was having. Then, Serra raised his lightsaber to his throat. Is this how it will end?

Then Serra sighed. It was normally an innocent sound, but it chilled Kenobi now. She lowered her hand and Kenobi fell to the ground, free. He landed in a heap and gasped for breath, coughing. Rubbing his throat, he looked up at Serra. Why had she released him?

"This is no fun," Serra muttered. "Dooku told me to kill you quickly, but this is just too easy." Serra deactivated his lightsaber and dropped it in front of Kenobi.

Kenobi stared at the deactivated weapon before him. She wasn't serious, was she? When he tried to reach out to the Force again he was met with the same chill as before.

"Go on, pick it up," Serra told him. "I want a challenge. Besides, it would be a shame if the illustrious General Kenobi didn't go down without a fight."

Obi-Wan looked at her for a wary moment and then picked up his lightsaber. Serra stepped back as he stood and activated it. She was making a huge mistake rearming him. You underestimate your opponent and overestimate yourself. That's just asking to be beaten.

"So," Obi-Wan asked, stalling for time as he tried to get the Force to help him again. "Are you going to fight me with your bare hands?"

"Nope," Serra promised him. Something moved by one of the blown out windows and a silver cylinder was suddenly thrown. Serra Force pulled the cylinder to her hand. It activated with a snap hiss, revealing a red blade.

Obi-Wan looked up to see another human sitting up on the windowsill. Beside her was a sniper rifle. She looked about Serra's age and had two deactivated lightsabers on her belt. Serra was right; it wasn't Ventress she saw with two blades. The entire time, she never lied once. We simply drew the conclusion we wanted and they were the wrong ones.

"Stay up there," Serra ordered her companion.

The Sith who had tossed her lightsaber nodded.

Smiling, Serra saluted him again. Obi-Wan could see at once that her blade was not normal. Although it had the red aura of a Sith, its core was black instead of white. The radius of the blade itself was smaller than his, more like a needle or a rapier then a sword. Around the mouth of the weapon was a handguard like the petals of a flower.

Obi-Wan's memory was foggy on this, but her weapon looked to be a lightfoil – a rare variation of the lightsaber. He knew the lightfoil's smaller radius meant it could be wielded faster and there was less surface area for an opponent to block.

All lightsabers, whether with a curved hilt or a double blade, still had the same blade. The lightfoil was the exception. They were almost impossible to make because of the different blade and in order to use one effectively you had to relearn all the forms over again. He had never seen one in person before.

Then Serra pounced. Her style kept with the second form, and she had one arm tucked lowered to better let her crimson blade sing. Obi-Wan barely managed to deflect the blows.

Serra sidestepped one of his swings with some of the graceful footwork that the second form was famous for, and tried an upward cut meant to take his arms off at the elbow. Obi-Wan pulled back to deflect it only for it to dissolve into a faint as she suddenly swiped downward.

Realizing the danger, the Jedi jumped back. He meant to jump ten meters or so back but only managed two. Still within range of her lightfoil, Serra continued to press.

Obi-Wan floundered. The Force was rejecting him? No, that wasn't it. The Force in this area was as muddled as his senses. Then he realized what the cold, empty, shadows he felt were. It was the Dark Side. Somehow, Serra had contaminated all of the Force in this area with the Dark Side. If Obi-Wan wanted the Force's assistance in this battle he would have to use that.

Another faint and Serra's lightfoil raked Obi-Wan's side. Desperate, Obi-Wan threw out his hand to telekinetically shove Serra back. The attack that should have thrown her across the room dissolved so it was little more than a hard push when it hit Serra. She absorbed that by doing a backwards roll and ended up back on her feet.

"I see from the look on your face that you finally realized what I've done," Serra smiled. "If you want to use the Force, _Jedai,_ then you have to play by Sith rules."

Obi-Wan shook his head slowly. His left side was numb from where the lightfoil had hit him. It had obviously been little more than a graze, but it still minimized his range of motion.

Serra's smile widened. "Of course, without the Force, you are no more than a normal human and easy prey for a Sith."

Now that Obi-Wan knew what she had done he carefully drew on the Force again – just a bit. He filtered that power, stripping away the hate and fear. It was only a trickle of power compared to what he as used to, but it was better than nothing.

He was able to parry her next attack and the fight dissolved into the passing of blows. Serra was young and inexperienced. It should have been easy for Obi-Wan to defeat her, but without the Force his abilities were crippled. Pain shot up his side from the wound as he tried to deflect her lightfoil.

The other Sith sitting and watching kicked a foot against the balcony. It didn't look like Serra needed her help at all. She smiled. I can't believe it, but it looks like the Count is going to lose his bet.

Her holocomm on her belt beeped, drawing her eyes from the battle. With a sigh, she unclipped the communicator and held it flat in her palm. A click activated it. The blue image was none other than the Count. She straightened, "my lord! I didn't expect you to contact me."

"How is Serra doing, Lyrii?" Dooku asked sharply, interrupting her.

Lyrii gave a half-smile, one hand tapping on the rifle she had been using earlier. "See for yourself." She adjusted the holocomm so that Dooku would be able to observe Serra's battle with Obi-Wan.

Obi-Wan was so focused on fighting off Serra's lightsaber that he didn't realize the young Sith had lowered her empty hand to her side where her blaster still was until she had pulled the trigger of her blaster. Obi-Wan gasped as pain as his breath caught. He swayed on his feet and Serra jumped up and kicked him, crushing his windpipe with her foot.

She stepped back as Obi-Wan collapsed onto his hands and knees, one hand on his throat, coughing as he tried to breathe. His lightsaber fell to the ground beside him and deactivated. Serra sheathed her blaster and held out her free hand. The Jedi's blade hovered to her palm and she thumbed the activator switch.

Now she had both a blue and a red lightsaber. On a whim, she raised Obi-Wan's own lightsaber up. The blue blade sang as it flashed down in a deadly arc towards its owner.

"Stop!" Dooku shouted.

Obi-Wan's lightsaber stopped barely an inch from the General's neck.

Serra sighed again, sounding irritated now. She kept the Jedi's lightsaber on his neck and looked up towards Lyrii. "Why?" She asked Dooku.

Lyrii levitated the holocomm onto the ground next to Serra and a life-size image of Dooku appeared. His curved lightsaber hung on his side, half-hidden by the brown cloak he wore. "Obi-Wan's death is not as useful as his life."

"What do you mean?" Serra challenged. "He's a _Jedai_ Master, killing him rids the Republic of one of their stronger warriors. Do you just not want me to win the bet?"

Dooku narrowed his eyes at Serra but the girl did not flinch away. She had her mother's stubborn courage. "I will concede victory to you. Bring him back with you."

"What about the Gungan girl?" Serra asked, crossing her arms. It was an odd position since she still had both lightswords ignited.

"You may keep and train her," Dooku said.

Obi-Wan reached out for the Force again, what little he could use, and tried to strengthen himself.

Serra rolled her eyes and held out her hand with her lightfoil so her palm was up. She tightened her fingers and Obi-Wan was wrenched upright into the air behind her by his throat. He gasped, putting a hand on his throat to try and break Serra's Force Choke. She was strong though, far stronger than most Sith and her rage was great…

Serra tightened her grip more, increasing the pressure on his throat. Hearing the great and mighty Jedi Master gasp for breath – as helpless as a newborn – thrilled her.

"I said _do not_ kill him," Dooku repeated.

Serra dropped him with a tssk. "Why not?"

Obi-Wan gasped and coughed, shaking his head to try and clear it.

"He is a Jedi Master, the old master of Anakin Skywalker, and a member of the Jedi council," Dooku said as if that explained everything.

"I know he's important, that's why I want to kill him if you'd just let me."

Lyrii, standing out of Dooku's range of sight, winced. Serra could get away with quite a bit around Dooku but sassing him was not a good idea. He wouldn't kill her, but he might put her in a Force Choke himself for her insolence the next time he saw her.

"That is exactly why he makes good… insurance," Dooku explained. "The Jedi would give much to have him back."

"A hostage?" Serra tilted her head to one side slightly, eyebrows lowered in thought. "Well yeah, I could. I could also make his lightsaber the first of my collection."

"There will be other Jedi to kill," Dooku told her, exasperation threading through his voice. Serra's skills with the Dark Side were remarkable, but she had little thought for the future. If she was ever going to be a Darth, that would have to change.

"Yes master," Serra said grudgingly. Whether Dooku believed it or not, she did know when to stop. Serra deactivated her lightfoil and clipped it onto her belt, leaving Obi-Wan's in hand.

Obi-Wan looked at her as she raised the blue blade. Was she going to kill him anyway?

Serra knelt down close to Obi-Wan's eye level. "You're lucky today," she sighed, "you won't be next time." She spun Obi-Wan's lightsaber around, and slammed the hilt against his skull with force-augmented strength.

Shadows danced in Obi-Wan's vision as he went limp on the floor, unconscious.

Serra finally deactivated his lightsaber. She was smiling.

Dooku would give Serra credit for her enthusiasm, but knew that she still had a lot to learn – especially about foresight. "Contact the other Jedi."

"Hm," Serra glanced over at him. "Contact them? You want me to tell the rest of the Jedi I'm Sith?"

"I'm certain Skywalker will be worried when his former master doesn't report in," Dooku said.

Serra chewed her lip, "Now?"

"Once you are aboard the ship," Dooku said a bit tiredly, "I do not want to risk a Jedi rescue attempt."

Serra bowed as Dooku's hologram faded and the holocomm turned off. She stared thoughtfully at the communicator. "Lyrii,"she called up without averting her eyes, "you've got the binders?"

"Yes," Lyrii replied as she jumped the two stories to the ground. She took out the rings of the binders and tossed them to Serra.

Serra caught them and deftly snapped them onto Kenobi's wrists. "Come on, I suppose the sooner we get to the ship, the sooner I get to properly introduce myself to Skywalker."

* * *

 **Every person who has a connection to the Force has a unique connection to it. Serra's is quite unique. Contaminating the Force is but one of the tricks she can do. Although when Dooku taught her how to do a Force choke, i doubted he thought she'd use it quite so much in one battle.**

 **It;s not something you think about much, but without the Force the Jedi are just human and very easy to kill. They don't have the jumps or speed or strength that they're known for. Even if they have a lightsaber, they can't predict the enemies move or move as quickly as a Force-user.**

 **Since Jedi use the Light Side of the Force, most can't and won't dare to use the Dark Side. Better, since she's defeated Kenobi and left no survivors, she can just use the same trick on the next Jedi and they won't have any way to prepare for it. They will be defeated. As long as this string continues, every Jedi she fights will die and no intelligence on her or her skills will ever be gathered.**

 **It's sort of like the _Malevolence_.**


	6. Introductions

Anakin was nearly pacing by the comm station as he waited for the scouts to report in. Obi-Wan never reported in late and he was over an hour late already. He must have run into trouble.

"Master," Ashoka tried. There was no response from Anakin. "Master!"

Anakin stopped his walking and looked over at her.

"Relax," Ashoka tried to reassure. "Master Kenobi can handle himself and he's got Serra with him. Stop pacing," _before you wear a path in the stone_.

Anakin's look darkened further.

Ashoka realized she'd hit on her master's anxiety perfectly. "You don't trust Serra?"

"I don't know. There's just something... off about her." Anakin shook his head, "I shouldn't have let her go with Obi-Wan."

Ashoka opened her mouth to try another tactic when the comm station beeped that there was an incoming message. "There, I bet that's them now," Ashoka said brightly.

Anakin tapped on the comm station. An image of Serra appeared. "Serra, where's Obi-Wan? What happened?"

"Obi-Wan is ah, indisposed for the moment," Serra said.

"What do you mean? "Anakin said, "I want to talk to him."

"He's a little hung up right now, but you can talk to me _Jedai_ Knight," Serra smiled now.

Anakin leaned back slightly in surprise at the girl's slang. That's what the Sith called the Jedi. "Where is he?" He repeated, suddenly and harshly. "What did you do to him?"

What was her master talking about, Ashoka thought; Serra didn't do anything to him. She's on our side.

"He's not dead," Serra promised Anakin. She smiled, "yet."

Anakin knew it. She was not to be trusted. "Who are you!?"

"Repetitive," Serra sighed. "That's the same thing Kenobi asked me before I defeated him. My name is Serra, Serra Winters."

"Winters?" Anakin whispered. He knew that name from somewhere. "Heather Winters?"

"She was my mother," Serra smiled. "One of the best Jedi Hunters out there, and I am following in her footsteps. Kenobi was my first victory. Lucky for him though, Dooku told me not to kill him. He believes that the great General would make a better hostage."

Ashoka suddenly felt very cold. She had heard stories about Heather Winters as a youngling in the temple. The older children would tell terrifying stories about Jedi who had crossed paths with Heather Winters. None had lived to tell the tale. She was Heather's daughter?

"You're a Separatist," Anakin swore.

"Almost," Serra told him in a coaxing voice. "I fight for the Confederacy yes, but that's not my rank."

Then Ashoka saw that Serra wasn't wearing her dagger anymore. In its place was a lightsaber. Ashoka couldn't lift her eyes from the weapon.

"I see your Padawan's figured it out," Serra nodded in Ashoka's direction, setting a hand on her lightsaber hilt.

That drew Anakin's eyes to it. "Sith," he said, voice trembling with emotion.

Serra smiled, "perfect shot," she told him. "I'm not a Darth – yet, but I will be one day. With Ventress gone the Count needed an apprentice, so here I am before you."

"You will return Obi-Wan now," Anakin said harshly.

"Make me Skywalker," Serra challenged. "I'm already in orbit. My ship is about to jump to hyperspace and if you destroy it you kill your precious Kenobi as well. I don't believe you're that stupid."

Anakin was trembling, looking at her as if he would Force Choke her if she were standing in front of him. "You have no proof to back up that claim, do you?"

Serra rolled her eyes. "You _Jedai_ are so predictable. I guess that's why I was able to play you so well." Someone off screen tossed something at Serra and she caught it. She activated it and let it hover in front of her. It was Obi-Wan's lightsaber. "Any other questions, _Jedai_?"

Anakin didn't respond.

"Don't worry," Serra cooed in what Ashoka supposed was a voice meant to reassure. "I'm supposed to deliver Obi-Wan alive, so he's not going to be killed for a while yet." She smiled again, "best be careful with your emotions or else you might end up with a red lightsaber, Skywalker. In fact," Serra narrowed her eyes, "I think you will one day."

"I will never be a Sith," Anakin spat.

"Never is a very long time," Serra warned with that same smile playing across her lips. "Until next time General." She placed her index and middle fingers of her left hand on her lips, the other three curled close to the palm and then blew Anakin a kiss. The communication powered down.

The instant it was gone, Anakin slammed the control, denting the metal. He was nearly shaking with rage. Then he hit the control on. "Admiral Yularen, is there a Sith ship about to jump to hyperspace?"

There was a pause before the Admiral replied. "One, we're targeting it now."

* * *

Lyrii finished punching in the hyperspace coordinates, "Coordinates locked. You do know that the Jedi cruiser is targeting us?"

Serra was sitting in the copilot's seat, eyes closed in focus. * _Yes_ ,* she replied. Her voice was as soft as silk and as delicate as a moth's antennae as it brushed across Lryii's mind instead of being spoken out loud. * _They'll hold their fire. Prepare for jump_.*

Lyrii trusted Serra's instincts and so turned the ship to one side, charging the drive.

* * *

Master," Ashoka said quietly. "If Master Kenobi really is aboard Serra's ship…"

Anakin tightened his hand into a fist. He didn't seem to have heard his Padawan. After a precious second more, he spoke. "Hold your fire."

"Sir?" Yularen asked.

"I said hold your fire," Anakin repeated viciously. "That's an order. Let them go."

Serra opened her eyes and smiled. She glanced Lyrii's way. "We're clear. Make the jump."

Lyrii reached forward and activated the hyperdrive. The stars around them elongated to blue streaks and then the ship shot away to Separatist space.

* * *

 **One word to describe Serra here: Cocky.**

 **Anakin did actually see it coming but poor Ashoka is just too trusting. Serra has good instincts when it comes to a person's true heart doesn't she? She pegged Anakin well enough.**


	7. The Will of the Light

When Obi-Wan Kenobi slowly opened his eyes he was greeted by numb arms and steel walls. His wrists were suspended above his head, and he was in a containment field. Once his memory of recent events returned, he supposed that was fitting.

He had been defeated by Dooku's new apprentice. Why of all the potential candidates had it been Heather Winters daughter? Dooku had probably gotten great amusement out of it.

Obi-Wan looked around the small room. There was an access door and nothing else. He tried to twist his wrists or reach out to the Force. Both were useless. This was why he hated containment fields.

The door chose that moment to unlock and slid open with a hiss. Obi-Wan stopped struggling as Serra Winters walked in. She wasn't wearing her cloak, and Obi-Wan's lightsaber was clipped onto her belt next to her own.

"Hello General," Serra greeted with false warmth laced through her voice.

"To what do I owe this honor to?" Obi-Wan asked her.

Serra smiled, "There's only so much to do on my ship and it will be some time yet before we make the rendezvous. Besides, I've never met a Jedi before."

"Wasn't your mother a Jedi?" Obi-Wan asked somewhat tartly.

"Yes," Serra admitted, "but Heather realized she was more attuned to be a Jedi Hunter then a Jedi Padawan." She gave an arrogant smirk.

Obi-Wan looked at her dejectedly. "Why are you doing this?"

"Doing what?" Serra frowned.

"Being a Sith," Obi-Wan said gently.

Serra looked at Obi-Wan curiously. "What do you mean by that?"

"The Sith are evil creatures that have shut down all compassion," Obi-Wan pleaded. "They use the dark emotions of anger, hatred, and fear."

Serra rolled her eyes. "There you go again, preaching as if you know so much more than everyone else. Besides, Sith understand that our emotions are part of us. We Sith do not suppress them. We embrace them, and understand that they are a part of us."

Obi-Wan shook his head. "Your emotions leave you unbalanced. In battle, Sith let their anger rule and they do not choose their targets. Instead, they simply kill anyone who gets in their way no matter how innocent they are. They don't care because they believe that those who they kill were too weak to be worth letting live."

A sudden memory of Serra's mother appeared. Heather Winters may have been a Jedi and bounty hunter, but she had also been a mother. She had been kind to the other children of Clan Vizsla on Mandalore, and later to the children of the Capital City on Lothal.

Serra tilted her head and looked curiously at Obi-Wan. "I read your file Jedi, and you seem to be living up to your reputation of manipulation."

Obi-Wan sighed. "The Dark Side twists one's mind and body."

"And how would you know that?" Serra challenged belligerently.

It took a moment for Obi-Wan to respond. When he did his voice was subdued, and there seemed to be a memory woven into his words. "There is not a member of the Jedi Order who has not used the Dark Side at one point."

Serra frowned slightly. Was Obi-Wan saying he had used the Dark Side before?

"Do you want to be a monster like Dooku? A murderous Dark Jedi as he?" Obi-Wan asked honestly. This girl was new to the Dark Side still. He might still be able to save her from the path of destruction that the Dark Side inevitably caused. The Dark Side breeds the same insanity. It's the fate of those who abandon the path of the Jedi."

Serra, who had looked away, paused now. She clenched a hand and looked sharply back at Obi-Wan. "I understand what Dooku meant. I understand why my mother believed in what she did. My mother ' _abandoned the path of the Jedi'_ but she was fine. She could be called many things but she was no murderer.

"Just because Heather did not obey you Jedi does not mean that she was bad," Serra snapped. "There are other ways to do things then your own. The Dark Side is the true side of the Force. Jedi cannot control it and so they only use the weaker, more artificial Light Side. They do not have the strength to use its power without it consuming them. You said that the Dark Side breeds insanity and you are correct. It does – for those who have no right and are fools enough to use it anyway."

"The Dark Side is not something that you can control," Obi-Wan warned.

"No," Serra snapped, "the Dark Side is not something _you_ can control. As a Sith, _I_ can use it just fine."

"You-"

"Don't say it," Serra interrupted harshly, "Jedi do not understand. You assume that your way is the only way and go across the galaxy snatching all the Force-sensitive children you can find. You never let them see their families again or have families or friends of their own because you force them to suppress their natural emotions, and as such a vital part of what makes them who they are."

"The Jedi do not use hate and anger," Obi-Wan jumped in. "We rise above such base emotions."

"Base emotions?" Serra challenged mockingly, "like compassion and affection? Well, I agree with you on that one, those last two emotions are pests. We Sith at least do not pretend to be compassionate like you Jedi do. Compassion is a "base emotion" and you Jedi pretend to care when really you've thrown away all of your emotions for something as shallow as the Light Side of the Force. The Dark Side at least is happy with who you are."

Kenobi suddenly struggled against his restraints at her mocking, a rare break of his balanced control.

Serra chuckled, "Was that anger master Jedi? Such a base emotion."

Obi-Wan knew it was stupid to react like that, but this girl was irritating.

"You Jedi fool yourselves into thinking you're better than us," Serra smiled, "better then everyone. You're not. All you do is contain the growing trouble in a Republic run by cooperation's credits instead of the people's votes. You wait lazily for the Chosen one to come and save you all."

"You know of the prophecy," Obi-Wan conceded, "not surprising. Dooku would have learned it growing up at the Jedi Temple, as your mother would have." Obi-Wan closed his eyes and quoted the Prophecy:

 _"In the time of greatest despair,_

 _A child shall be born_

 _Who will destroy the Sith_

 _And bring balance to the Force._ "

Serra nodded, "just as I remember it. It illustrates perfectly how idiotic you Jedi are as well. According to the Jedi's dogma, the Light side is the true side of the Force and the Dark side corrupts it. You believe it your highest duty to rid the galaxy of the cancer that is the Sith. You're wrong though. The Light side is not the true state of the Living Force."

"And you intend to tell me that the Dark Side is?" Obi-Wan replied tiredly. He was wrong. This girl may be young, but it would not be easy to bring her back to the true path of light.

"Not everything has a chance to live, Master Jedi, but everything dies," Serra replied darkly. Her voice was smug, and as sure as Obi-Wan's.

Her communicator on her right wrist beeped and Serra activated it, never letting her smug eyes glace away from her prisoner. "Yes?"

"We're nearing the rendezvous coordinates," someone said on the other side.

"I'll be on the bridge shortly," Serra replied and turned off her comlink. She lowered her arm and looked up at Obi-Wan. "Well, thanks for the distraction Jedi. It certainly made the time go by. We're at the fleet though, so I'll have to turn you over to my master."

Dooku… Obi-Wan thought. This was not good. If Anakin ever wanted to plan one of his dramatic and perfectly timed rescues, now would be it.

The ship swayed as it dropped out of hyperspace. There was no sudden jolt as some ship opened fire on it. It seemed Ankain was going to be late this time.

"Expecting a rescue," Serra taunted as she drew her blaster from her hip and raised it to Obi-Wan's chest.

"What are you-" Obi-Wan started to ask.

Serra shot him before he could finish, and the Jedi went limp against the restraints as he slipped into unconsciousness. She switched her blaster form stun to kill and holstered it. Then she turned on her heel and left.

She went to the bridge after making sure the door to Obi-Wan's cell was locked. Lyrii was sitting in one of the chairs and had evidently just finished transmitting the security codes because she was leaning back with her hands in her lap. When the door to the cockpit opened, Lyrii tilted her head just enough to see Serra and then flicked a hand in a wave as the clearance was accepted and she began to guide the ship into the hanger.

Serra looked out through the window to the fleet that lay before them. Lyrii was piloting Serra's ship towards one of the battlecruisers. Even though Lyrii's connection with the Force was too weak, Serra could sense her master aboard it.

"Lyrii," Serra said quietly, "the Jedi's unconscious. Escort him to his new cell. I don't want to risk him escaping. My master wants to speak with me."

Lyrii nodded, "as you wish."

The ship swayed as it landed inside the battlecruiser's hanger. Serra left Lyrii to power down her ship and walked down to the landing ramp. It lowered itself to the floor of the ship and Serra walked down it. There were B-1 and B-2 battle droids ready to escort the Jedi. They saluted her.

She nodded and walked by them. Amusingly, Serra unclipped Obi-Wan's lightsaber from her belt and tossed it in her hand. Serra couldn't wait to give it to her master.

She was thinking a bit about what Obi-Wan had said about the Jedi and it only amused her more. Obi-Wan was strong headed and as foolishly deluded as the rest of the Jedi. He helped her understand why she needed to rid the galaxy of the spoiled Jedi.

Serra Winters could hardly wait for her killing streak to begin.

* * *

 **Here is why the Jedi and Sith can't get along. It's not just because they use the opposite sides of the Force and they have opposite personalities and believes, it's because each thinks that the other is contaminating the Force and needs to be eliminated to restore balance. In this case, the Sith win when Palpatine makes Skywalker eliminate the Jedi. Points for Sith.**

 **I agree with Serra on this one. Jedi dogma is that the Jedi are the path of the Force. Many have left the Order and been fine, some never join. Their entire belief of getting rid of emotion and yet being "compassionate" is ridiculous. You can't do both and yet the Jedi think that they're perfect that they can. Emotions are a vital part of a person's being and the Jedi think that the Light Side is so good that a person's emotions aren't good enough and that they don't need them.**


	8. The Shadows of Darkness

Count Dooku was waiting for Serra when her ship, _Dark_ _Starr_ , arrived. It was a simple personal star shuttle, and aboard it was Obi-Wan Kenobi. He could feel the Jedi even as her ship flew into the hanger of the Separatist battleship.

He remained where he was. It should be simple to move the unconscious Jedi to a more secure holding cell. As per his orders, Serra was soon walking across the deck of the bridge. The droids ignored her wisely and continued on their jobs.

She had changed out of her old outfit to a tight-fitting black and silver two-piece outfit. Her boots were silent on the metal and the black cloak draped around her shoulders ruffled as she walked. The dark colors of her normal clothes only exemplified her bright hair and brilliant crimson and gold eyes. Her lightfoil was hung on one hip and a new blaster was on her other. Her dagger was now tucked inside of her boot again out of sight. Except for the eyes and the lightfoil, she looked just like her mother.

Once she neared Dooku, she bowed low. "Master," she greeted.

Dooku nodded for her to straighten. She never kneeled, another similarity between herself and Heather. That same habit had nearly gotten her mother killed when she had been brought before Darth Sidious.

Serra noticed the seriousness in his eyes, something that was always there but seemed even more prevalent now. "Are you upset with me?" Serra asked, "I didn't kill Kenobi."

"No," Dooku said, "not with you." Then he fell quiet.

Serra paused a moment, but he didn't elaborate. He did this sometimes, but Serra had never understood who he was talking about.

"Why did you let me reveal my identity to the Jedi?" Serra asked, deciding to try to get him to reveal himself. "I could have returned to the Jedi after Kenobi was safely in droid custody and said I was ambushed. I would be able to stay on the inside of the Republic forces and relay you information directly, yet you had me do otherwise. Why?"

"Those were my orders," Dooku replied simply. "I do not have to explain myself to my apprentice."

Serra kept her face neutral, but scowled internally. "As you say," she relented.

"Obi-Wan is now in Separatist hands," Dooku brushed off her tone. "I wish to deploy you with Grievous in the battles on Florince. A Jeid Knight is there with his Padawan. You wish to collect lightsabers? You may start with theirs while you secure the planet. You have one week before you leave."

"What about Lyrii?" Serra asked.

"She will accompany you," Dooku relented.

His tone was a dismissal and Serra knew better then to push her luck. "As you wish, master."

Dooku felt inclined to give Serra some credit for how easily she had taken down Kenobi, so as she walked away he added: "You should have no challenge defeating Master Koth considering how easily Kenobi fell."

Serra didn't turn around when Dooku spoke, but she paused and gave a small smile. "I will defeat him."

Dooku did not say anything else and let Serra leave the bridge. He looked at the bridge's communication system, expecting a message from Sidious. As far as Serra knew, Sidious did not exist. That was for her own protection.

Sidious had forced Dooku to betray Ventress because he had feared she was too powerful. How would he react to the news of Serra? She was something that no Sith had been in over a thousand years, a Sorceress.

If Serra even meets him, then she will be found out. He would realize her power and how great a threat she was – then he would eliminate her. The spell she had used to twist the Force around her to the Dark Side in her fight against Kenobi was a minor one, and she could do far worse than that.

Right on cue, one of the B-1 Battle Droids on the bridge spoke up. "Sir? There's a message for you."

"I will take it in my private room," Dooku told the droid. He turned on his heel and walked off of the bridge. It would not be a good idea to keep Sidious waiting, but this conversation would be better in private.

Once he reached a more private room he stood in front of the communicator and tapped it on. An image of Darth Sidious appeared. He had his hood up hiding most of his features, but Dooku still knew who it was. He knelt down on one knee, "master."

"Tell me, my apprentice, how long have you been training Serra Winters?" Sidious asked in a brittle and impatient voice.

Dooku knew this would happen. "She has only joined my side recently. I believe she has taught herself much already." That was true; Serra had only recently come to Sorreno. Before now, she had been on Lothal, an Outer Rim world away from the war where he had found her.

Sidious had seen an image of Serra. Between that and her surname, he had guessed that she was the daughter of the Jedi Hunter Heather. "I see. She was able to defeat Obi-Wan very easily. She's strong."

Dooku knew that he would compare Serra to Ventress and see her as a threat to. He wouldn't let Sidious discard Serra as had been done with Ventress. Not when she was so powerful, her potential so great.

"Not so strong as to be a threat to you, my master," Dooku assured him.

Dooku did not trust Sidious. He knew that while Serra needed him alive so he could train her, Sidious would dispose of him the instant he no longer had need for him. If he wanted to beat Sidious to that he needed Serra trained, and quickly.

That was why he had ordered her to tell the Jedi she was a Sith. Since the Jedi now knew she was a Sith, she had to return to the Confederacy. Now she could serve on the battlefield and gain experience. Fighting against Jedi was the best practice she was going to get for fighting Sidious.

"Not a threat?" Sidious asked. "Heather had more lightsabers in her collection than Grievous."

Dooku did not respond instantly. He had to measure his words carefully. "My apprentice is untrained. The Jedi are easy prey for her, but she is not strong enough to defeat a Sith." _Not yet…_

Sidious noted Dooku's wording. For now, he would give Dooku this victory. "What do you intend to do with her, apprentice?"

"I will send her with Grievous onto the battlefield. She can kill the Jedi and the droids can handle the clones." Dooku replied carefully.

"So she is to be a Jedi Hunter as Heather was?" Sidious mused, "An interesting use of her abilities."

"Her abilities are limited," Dooku responded. "Grievous will make use of her as a warrior and an assassin."

"Like Asajj Ventress," Sidious mused quietly. "Very well, train her."

"If you wish me to train her master, then why did you endorse placing a bounty on her?" Dooku asked tartly, intending to strike while the chance presented itself.

Sidious paused. His alias as Chancellor Palpatine had allowed him to place a rather sizable bounty on Serra's pretty little head. Although he did not yet know that Serra was a Sorceress, her ability to defeat Kenobi so easily bothered him. She had only just become Dooku's apprentice and she was already this strong?

Eliminating her early might be the best option before she became a threat. Dooku had already learned of the bounty on her. It was of little surprise that he was not pleased with Sidious. Sidious wondered briefly if some of that irritation might be because Serra was Heather Winters daughter, but he dismissed that quickly enough.

"As Chancellor there are certain things that must be done to maintain my cover," Sidious dismissed. "All that is required of you is to train her to be a threat to the _Republic_."

If you truly don't want to kill her, then why is her bounty one of the highest one on the list? She is young and untrained and with a bounty that high, a prime target for any bounty hunter. "I shall train her master," Dooku told him. You can be sure of that.

Sidious ended the transmission.

It was only after the holocomm faded that Dooku stood straight. The time would come when Dooku would no longer bow down to Sidious, a time when the Galactic Empire that his master envisioned would exist. Only you will not be the Sith in command of that Empire, Sidious. I will be, and Serra is my greatest weapon.

He remembered when he had found the girl barely a month ago. Four bodies had been arranged around her, three had been Jedi that she had slain, and the last had been her mother whom the Jedi had foolishly killed. She needed no training to kill three Jedi Knights.

Do not underestimate Serra my _master._

She will be what destroys you.

* * *

 **The End**

 **To Be Continued in...**

 _ **Slaves of the Confederacy**_

* * *

 **This is why i love the bad guys. With the Jedi it's all peace and harmony, but the Sith are far more interesting. Dooku has guessed that Sidiuos will betray him ( _3: Revenge of the Sith_ ) and he's decided that Serra is good insurance. She's not trained, but he's certainly going to help her become stronger for her sake as well as his own.**


End file.
